WORLD DATELINES

Compiled from Examiner staff and wire reports

Published 4:00 am, Monday, March 23, 1998

Israeli teen turns silent in hacker probe Jerusalem In an abrupt shift, the Israeli teenager accused of breaking into the Pentagon's computer system has stopped cooperating with police, his lawyer said Monday.

Amnon Zichroni said his 18-year-old client, Ehud Tenenbaum, had not realized how seriously authorities would take the allegations against him.

Zichroni said he believed American authorities were pursuing the case against Tenenbaum - nicknamed the Analyzer - too vigorously. He suggested that Israeli prosecutors should weigh the damage of Tenenbaum's actions against his potential to contribute to society.

Tenenbaum was detained for questioning last week on suspicion of breaking into several computer systems in Israel and the United States, including the Pentagon system. Police initially said Tenenbaum, who is currently under house arrest, was cooperating fully.

Police spokeswoman Linda Menuhin said she could not comment on an ongoing investigation.

According to the Haaretz newspaper, the teenager's sudden silence was also prompted by the fear of massive civil law suits from computer companies in the United States whose business may have been damaged by his activities.

Tenenbaum allegedly hacked into Pentagon computers and then showed others - including two Cloverdale teens - his tricks. The other hackers then apparently breached other security systems on their own, authorities said.

Capt. Peter Karimba, a military officer in Gisenyi, 60 miles northwest of Kigali, said 30 to 40 rebels attacked a church-run health center at 3 a.m., killing three civilians and taking seven nuns hostage.

Two hours later, 100 rebels attacked Kanama, 10 miles to the east, burning the local government building and killing 17 civilians, he said.

Six rebels were killed and eight Rwandan soldiers were injured in clashes that followed, Karimba said.

The attack, at least the fourth by Hutu rebels in the Gisenyi area this year, comes two days before President Clinton's visit to Rwanda. For security reasons, Clinton will not leave the Kigali airport during a two-hour stopover.